Carbonizing process



K.,M. sMPsoN CARBONIZING PROCESS -F'led Feb. 15, 1932 May 30, 1933;

Patented May 30, 1933 S. FF E oaaBonrzING rnoorss a i Applicationfi'ed'rebi ary 15; 1932. Serial in; 3,`137: i

u This invention relates to a process for distilling or carbonizingcoals and .like carbonizable materials. While the invention is'particularly applicable to the 'low temp'era- 5 ture carbonization ordistillation of coals, it'

is also'capable of use for high temperature work to'manufactureby-product coke, etc.

It is an object of the invention to provide p a process in whichcoal canbe carboiized in a minimum time and also permit the carbonization oflarge aniounts' of coal in unit installations. It is well known thatcoal must be carbonized in` relativeiy narrow thicknesses in ordertoprevent loss of time in the carbonization operation, but efforts totreat coal in this way haveheretofore been confined` to methods whichpermitted :only 'a small funit Capacity oroutput.` n 5 3 It is also anobject of the invention to make 3 as good coke as'is possible at thetemperatures employed. By use of the process herein de'- scribed, coke'can be` produced thatzwill be dense, hard and tough -and'will in both.size and quality be a satisfactory fuel. -It will thus be seen that theobjects of the invention are toprovide a process whereby coal can becarbonized in a minimum time and that large Capacity 'per unit ofequipment can be obtained and that the coke produced shall have ?9130the qualities generally understood as distinguishing good coke. Inconnection with this last point it should be noted that many of themethods that have beentried for the carbonization of coal atlowtemperatures have produced in some cases a pulverulent char and in othercases a granular mass of spherical aggregates. Material such as that canbe used as a domestic fuel only after briquetting, which is an expensiveoperation. Also, no

7740 briquet so far produced has the fuel characistics of first classdomestic coke.

With the foregoing conception in mind,

the invention primarily comprises a process in which the coal undergongtreatment has a most substantial area exposed to the heating action ofthe gases whereby in a short time the heat, which may be of a lowtemperature, will penetrate the coal and cause a rapid carbonizationthereof.

" More specifically, my invention embodies a 'process' in "which anumber of parallel coal charges are moved through a carbonizing retorton a movable support, and which support is so jconstructed as to "permitthe heating gases'to play on both 'sid es of each `'charge, therebyrapidly penetrating the charge;

As' a furtherf feature of my invention, vapors :and gases evolvedfromthe coal during the carbonization thereo'fiare burned in the retort andthe resultant products of combustion employed as' theheating gases forthe parallel coal charges moving through the v retort. i

In Figureil of the drawing, I have shown diagrammatically a retortwhich' may be' of any well 'known-Construction, and inFigure j '2 I haveshown a View of one of the carrying units for supporting the coal'charges that are moved through the retort.` p e f 3 *Referring :now.more particularly to the drawing wher'ei'nf like reference" charactersindicate' 'corres'ponding parts, the numeral 1 designates a retortthrough` which suitable trucks 2 are adapted'to be moved continuously orintermittently. At" one end', this retort :5)

hasa door 3 and `at its opposite end a door 4. The retort is heated, ina manner hereinafter described, so' thata temperature of'approximately`600 C.`is maintained therein if the apparatus is beingused for the low tempera ture carbonization'of coal. Obviou's1y, if theapparatus is' being" used for the production of by-product coke, hightemperatureswill be;employed, the necessary temperatures being` well'knownto thosejskilled in the art. v 'From the retort, vapor and -gasdischarge i lines 5 lead to any suitable form of condenser for'therecovery of the condensable products and the separation of such productsfrom the un'condensable gases which' maybe consumed 790 as desired. i I

i i Referring now' to Figure 2, it will be understood that the referencecharacter 6 mere*- ly representsone of the several carrying units v thatmove through the retort; These units may be drawn'through the retort byan endless drivingbelt 6' driven by suitable power mechanism, and whichcooperates therewith andprogressively advances the units throughemployed and they may be connected together if desirable. Each unit hasa bottom 7 and supporting wheels 8. Each unit or truck is provided witha series of spaced Vertically extending partitions 9, preferably made ofcast iron, and of about one inch in thickness These plates are spacedabout four inches apart., It will be understood, howventhat the platescan be of greater distance apart if clesirable, the specific clegreesherein given being merely set forth as an* illustration of onesuccessful arrangement of these plates, particularly for low temperaturework.

In applying coal to each unit or car, I only fill alternate compartmentsformed by the partition plates 9. For -instance, the compartments thatare filled are designed by the reference characters 10, 11, 12, 13 and14.

-Ths means that adjacent each filled compartment there isf an emptyconpartment, the empty compartments being designated by the characters15, 16, 17 and 18. I havediscovered that, when filling the alternatecompartments only, a sufiicient area is provided for each chargeto beexposed to .a maximum quantityofaheating gases. The gases play freelythrough the unfilled compartments and the walls of these compartments,being of relatively thin cast iron, freely conduct the heatof thegasesto the filled compartments.

Itis therefore apparent that large areas of i the 'fuel charges, areeXposed at one time to already described, The amount of air'introducedwill; of course, be" governedvby the i quantity of Vapors and gaseswhich must be burned to maintain the requisite temperature in theretort, and -it will be understood that in high temperaturecarbonization,` more air will be introduced, and hence more Vapors andgases burned, than in a low temperature carboniz ing operation.

- Having thus described the invention, what Iclaimis: v. 1. A processfor carbonizing coal'which comprises arranging the; coal in a' pluralityof spaced relatvely thin parallel charges, introducing the charges to anelongated-carbonizing Zone, initially heating the carbonizing Zone toadistillation temperature toeVolVe Vapors and gases from the-coal,introducing a controlled amount of air. to.. the carbonizing zone toburn. a sufficient amount of 'the evolved vapors and gases to maintain atemperature of at least 600 C. in' the carbonizing zone without burningany: appreciablequan'- tty of the coal,. advancing ethe charges inunison through I the carbonizing `zone 'and c'oking the same 'thereinbythe heat of 'said burning, and then removing thercarbonized chargesfrom the carbonizing zone.` v

2. Theprocess as :defined by claim '1', furthercharacterized 'in thatthe air is" introduced to the carbonizing zone at spaced points in thepath of travel' oli-the charges therethrough.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature'.

KE NETH M; SI'MPSON- ture of about 900 C.. The movement'ofthe y units orcarriers through the retort'in either instance is so governedthatjbeforeany unit emerges from the retort it has been therein asufficientperiocl of time to effect the desired carbonization of the:coal charges therein. lVhen the charge has been carbo nized, it isremoved from the unit or carrier and the com: partments again filled`lar material. I v

. The retort havingbeen brought to an initial 'distillation temperatureby the 'introduction r of heating .gascs from an extraneous source, theheating gases for continuance of the 'carbonizing operation arethereafter generated within the retort by burning` the evolved vaporsand gases, ora suficient portionthereof ith fresh coal or simitomaintain the requisite temperatures, in the retort.. For-'this purpose,the retort is pro- Vided, preferably near its upper portion, withlongitudinally 'spaced air inlet pipes .19 whereby, controlledquantities of air maybe commingled with the 'vapors and gases Theresult-

